


Today We Are Postponing The Apocalypse

by blackgoliath



Category: Battle Royale - Takami Koushun, Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Multi, Threesome - F/M/M, and so heres br meets pac rim, as always i apologize, i gotta make more ya feel, theres only one fic for the br ot3 so, warnings for food/oceans/monster gore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-26
Updated: 2014-09-26
Packaged: 2018-02-18 19:49:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2360138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackgoliath/pseuds/blackgoliath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a future where humanity is at risk of extinction from a species of extra-dimensional beings, three young graduates from the Jaeger Academy face their first kaiju together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Today We Are Postponing The Apocalypse

“Initiating neural handshake,” Hiroki Sugimura says over the comm. 

He counts down from fifteen, and when he hits zero Noriko feels the connection like a punch to the brain; the rush is intense, quickly overwhelming her senses as two other minds join hers in a way she can only describe as magical. If it wasn't for her training, the time she spent in the jaeger academy learning to deal with this sensation and the barrage of memories that came with it, she would have lost herself completely. But since she is prepared she knows how to navigate the chaos, how to bring herself into perfect alignment with the two men inside her head. 

Noriko Nakagawa. Shuya Nanahara. Shogo Kawada. Three jaeger pilots fresh from the academy, three young people who have never imagined they would end up in such a unique situation. It's rare enough for two non-family members to be drift compatible, but three? It happens so little that it's almost unheard of. 

“Right hemisphere calibrating,” Shuya says, once their minds are synced. He shoots a smile at Noriko, who can feel the sincere warmth of it through their connection. She can also feel Shogo's amusement.

“Left hemisphere calibrating,” she says automatically. The controls of their jaeger, Whiskey Rock, are clicking into place. All they need now is one more, the most crucial, the glue that holds them together - 

“Hemispheres calibrated,” Shogo adds at last. Noriko's world becomes sharper, more defined, almost, her senses magnified to an incredible level. She can feel every breath Shuya takes, see the back of her and Shuya's head through Shogo's eyes, feel the enormity of the giant robot that she is now in control of, and more. It's dizzying, but exhilarating. She loves it. 

They move as one, arms lifting, hands clenching to deliver an air guitar solo. That's how they always finalize a successful drift, ever since they first realized they were compatible. It's Shuya's special touch.

 But there's no time to waste fooling around. The category 2 kaiju – lovingly codenamed Dodomeki by Hiroki – is already closing in on the city. They're hoping to cut it off before it can get too close, which means it's time to go.

Noriko feels their jaeger rise as it is airlifted to the waters where they will fight the kaiju. She notices the random thoughts floating through her head – Shogo is planning what he's going to make them for dinner while Shuya internally sings a Bruce Springsteen song (one of his methods for keeping calm; she knows them all by now). She knows they can hear her thoughts, too, how she's repesting the same poem over and over to keep her wits about her. 

_Once more into the fray, into the last good fight I'll ever know..._

 “You three doing okay?” Hiroki asks over the comms.

 “Just great,” Shuya replies. “How's our friend?” 

“Ten miles out and closing. We're gonna drop you right in his path so be ready.” 

“We've been ready for the last month and a half.” This time it's Shogo who speaks, and his tone is sharp at the edges. If you didn't know him you might think he was annoyed, but Noriko knows better. 

Hiroki does too; they hear him laugh. “Alright, alright. Don't get too impatient, you'll be there in about four minutes.”

The rest of the trip is in silence. Except for Shogo, who's still thinking about food, they're too nervous to speak. It's their first fight against a real kaiju and there's no guarantee on the outcome. They all know of late friends or acquaintances from the academy who'd been killed by kaiju, whether on their first run out or just by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Humanity may be currently winning against these alien invaders, but victory in the face of such high stakes didn't come without sacrifice. Noriko continues her mantra in her head and Shuya's now humming under his breath as Whiskey Rock is transported past the city and over the ocean, sparkling from the mid-afternoon sun, just beyond it.

Then comes the drop.

They've practiced this, too, so she knows what to expect, but Noriko can't hold back the small gasp that escapes her as they fall and the bottom of her stomach lurches into her throat. It's different from the initial drop they experience in the head of their jaeger. This time there's nothing holding them, nothing guiding them as they free fall into the water. This time the landing is jarring as the robot's enormous feet hit the ocean floor.

“Okay you two,” Shogo says aloud, unnecessarily; his words echo through the drift. “This is just like we practiced.” 

“So don't break protocol, Shuya,” Noriko jokes. He blushes sheepishly and she can feel it as if it were her own.

“Yeah, Shuya, don't get any bright ideas,” Shogo adds, grinning. 

Shuya gives an embarrassed laugh. “I'll try.”

“The kaiju's about a mile directly ahead of you,” Hiroki interrupts. As one, the three of them step forward, moving the jaeger to meet the enemy head on. Noriko can feel Shogo's impatience, so well-hidden just a moment ago, increasing drastically with each step. Fortunately he doesn't have to wait long.

The kaiju erupts from the waves, maw gaping and claws extended toward them, and Noriko can see now why Hiroki chose the name 'Dodomeki'. Like the creature of lore, this kaiju is covered in eyes, all over its arms and face and torso (and, she assumes, the rest of its body, which is concealed beneath the water). Its bulbous form is unlike any animal she has ever seen. Its eyes swivel in their many sockets until, in unison, all of them focus on Whiskey Rock. Noriko unconsciously tenses.

When the kaiju attacks Shogo's rage is instantaneous. It fuels the right hook their jaeger slams into Dodomeki's face. The monster shrieks in pain, kaiju blue bursting from its ruptured eyes and skin. It raises a claw to strike but they block the blow with their left arm and smash their other fist into its skull. Dodomeki stumbles back a few steps and they charge after it.

“Shogo, be careful--!” Shuya yells aloud, because he can feel it too, how Shogo's anger pours through their neural link. An old memory resurfaces, a rabbit he's not chasing but it's in the back of his mind, taunting him, adding wood to the roaring bonfire of his guilt and thirst for revenge. The emotions are powerful and as they swirl inside Noriko's mind it feels like she's drowning. The jaeger's fist connects again, the metal knuckles crashing into the kaiju's chest and it reels, but Noriko realizes a second too late that they should have heeded Shuya's warning. Instead of retreating further Dodomeki lunges forward and wraps its claws around the jaeger's neck. The trio lifts their hands to pry uselessly at its fingers. The force on the outer armor is so intense that Noriko can almost believe she herself is being choked, and when the monster opens its jaws and latches onto Whiskey Rock's head she hears a gasp of horror and realizes it's coming from her.

_We have to pull free_ , she thinks, or maybe it's Shuya, or Shogo – the origin of the thought doesn't really matter right now. Sparks fly around the three of them as Dodomeki's teeth dig into the jaeger's head.

“Shogo!” she screams, whether aloud or internally she's not sure. Either way it works – he snaps out of the dark vengeful state he's been in and it's like a breath of fresh air for her brain. The tension in the jaeger's hull is building but they're back now, and they can still win. The balance between them restabilizes and, together, they drag Whiskey Rock's right hand away from Dodomeki's claws and reach behind them.

All jaegers, while part of the same program, are unique in some way. Sometimes it's because of the pilots, sometimes just personal flair, but there is always a unique look, a unique weapon, something that sets them apart from the others, though they all serve the same purpose. For Whiskey Rock, it is the plasma cannon sunk into a groove on the jaeger's back, a cannon that easily clicks into place over their right fist. With Dodomeki still firmly latched onto their head, they're able to shove the barrel up under its chin and fire at point-blank range into its scaly hide. The plasma blast rips through the kaiju's throat, rending through tongue and teeth and skull, tearing the monster's brain to shreds. Dodomeki's jaw opens to let loose a bloodcurdling roar as they charge the cannon again and, shifting into a better position, shoot straight into the top of its mouth.

The second discharge destroys what's left of the kaiju's head. Defeated, Dodomeki falls, crashing into the water and sending enormous waves racing toward the shore. Noriko can't see if its teeth have left any holes in Whiskey Rock's head, but decides it doesn't matter either way when Hiroki says over the comm, “Kaiju signal lost! You did it, guys!”

Noriko lets out the breath she didn't realize she's been holding. Shuya gives a shaky laugh of relief and behind them Shogo sighs. They know what he's going to say before he says it.

“Sorry.” His guilt and shame leave an acrid taste in Noriko's mind. “I thought I was fine, that I could control it, but--”

“And you both thought _I'd_ be the one to cause problems,” Shuya interrupts with a smile. Shogo looks at him and slowly lets a grin spread across his face, and just like that the tension's gone. Noriko feels a rush of warmth for them both and flushes crimson when the two of them turn at the same time to look at her.

Their escort returns and takes them back to the Shatterdome, leaving the mess of kaiju blue and kaiju remains to the clean up crew and black market scavengers. When they emerge from the detached head of Whiskey Rock (which, Noriko notices with a wince, is looking pretty beat up) Hiroki is there to greet them.

“You did it!” he exclaims, beaming as he thumps Shuya on the back. Shuya hides a grimace. “How does it feel to beat your first kaiju?”

Shogo only responds with a shrug but that's when it hits Noriko. Maybe it's the after effects of the adrenaline, maybe it's coming down off of a near-death experience; whatever the cause, relief and glee and triumph all hit her at once, leaving her light-headed with giddiness.

“We really did do it, didn't we?” she says in awe. She's smiling at Shuya, so big it hurts, and when he grins back she leaps forward and wraps her arms around his neck, letting out a loud laugh.

“We did it!” she repeats, practically shouting. Before Shuya's lips can form a “Yes we did” she covers them with her own. She kisses him hard, joyously, and when she feels Shogo's strong arms come up around them both she kisses him too. Whether from a lingering trace of the drift or not, her mood is infectious, and soon Shogo is turning and kissing Shuya and then they're all hugging and laughing giddily and yelling that they did it, _we did it_ and it takes Hiroki a good five minutes to finally pry them off of each other.

“You three are so weird,” he comments once they're separated, shaking his head like a disappointed parent, but he can't keep from smiling. “Go home and celebrate. You've earned it.”

He heads back to the control room, leaving the three of them behind with the construction crews who've already begun repairing the damaged head of Whiskey Rock. Shogo throws one arm around Noriko and the other around Shuya and leads them toward the elevators.

“We _should_ celebrate,” Noriko says, smiling. “Don't you think so?”

“I kind of want a nap,” Shuya replies, stifling a yawn.

“I could use a cigarette,” is Shogo's response. 

Noriko rolls her eyes. _Boys_. “You two are hopeless.”

“But you love us.” Shogo gives her a lazy grin, while Shuya's is earnest. It makes her laugh.

“Yes, I do,” she agrees, and she doesn't need to be in the drift to know it's reciprocated. She can see it in the way Shuya blushes, can feel it in the way Shogo gently squeezes her shoulder. She smiles again. _They're boys, but they're_ my _boys_ , she thinks.

_Me and my boys are gonna save the world._

 

**Author's Note:**

> okay so. of course. none of the characters and/or concepts belong to me. battle royale characters (c) battle royale, and pac rim stuff (c) pac rim
> 
> this idea came from trying to come up with ot3 prompts and i hope you all enjoy reading it as much as i enjoyed imagining it (:


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